Scientists have developed computer monitors that can distort images so that
they appear perfectly clear to viewers even when they are not wearing their
glasses

Scientists have developed new computer monitors that can distort images in such a way that they appear perfectly clear to viewers with poor eyesight when they are not wearing their glasses.

The vision-correcting displays could eventually mean that people do not need to wear contact lenses or glasses when using computers, smartphones or tablets or even while watching television.

The research was carried out at UC Berkeley with colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where lead researcher Ramesh Raskar said: “We now live in a world where displays are ubiquitous, and being able to interact with displays is taken for granted.

“People with higher order aberrations often have irregularities in the shape of the cornea, and this irregular shape makes it very difficult to have a contact lens that will fit. In some cases, this can be a barrier to holding certain jobs because many workers need to look at a screen as part of their work. This research could transform their lives, and I am passionate about that potential.

“Our technique distorts the image such that, when the intended user looks at the screen, the image will appear sharp to that particular viewer. But if someone else were to look at the image, it would look bad.”

A prototype device based on an iPod Touch adds a printed pinhole screen sandwiched between two layers of clear plastic to the display. A software algorithm is also used to help created the corrected images, based on the viewer's optician prescription, which needs to be entered into the device.

It is hoped that the hardware could eventually be turned into thin screen protectors that could be added to any existing device, while software could be adapted for different operating systems.

Researcher Fu-Chung Huang said: “The significance of this project is that, instead of relying on optics to correct your vision, we use computation. This is a very different class of correction, and it is non-intrusive.”